Ingredient Reference
Apigenin: Chemistry, Food Sources, Studied Amounts and Safety
Structure, plant forms, food values, label math, human studies and their amounts, safety, interactions and US status.
Join the WaitlistApigenin on the Label
The apigenin amount in our planned sleep formula, as it will appear on the label.
Coming soon. Join the waitlist on the product page. How to use it (label directions): stir one scoop into 8 oz of water and drink it 30 to 60 minutes before bed, no more than one scoop a day. It may cause drowsiness, so do not combine it with alcohol. Not intended for anyone pregnant, nursing or under 18.
Apigenin at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Names | Apigenin; 4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone; PubChem CID 5280443. |
| Class | Flavone, a subgroup of the flavonoids. |
| Formula | C15H10O5, about 270.24 g/mol. A yellow solid that dissolves poorly in water. |
| Top food value (USDA) | Dried parsley, 4,503.5 mg per 100 g. |
| Amounts in human studies | Chamomile extract at 400 to 540 mg a day; apigenin at 50 mg in a 2026 combination product. |
| Main cautions | Daisy family allergy, warfarin, some liver-processed drugs, birth control pills, sedatives, pregnancy and breastfeeding. |
| US status | Dietary ingredient in supplements. Chamomile is on FDA's GRAS list of spices and flavorings. |
Here for sleep? Sleep, timing and side effects in plain language: Apigenin: Benefits, Sleep, Dosage and Side Effects. Side by side with magnesium and melatonin: Magnesium vs Melatonin for Sleep: Which Should You Take? (Plus Apigenin). This page sticks to reference facts.
Structure, Plant Forms and Food Sources
Apigenin is built on the flavone skeleton: two benzene rings joined through a central oxygen-containing ring, with a double bond between carbons 2 and 3 and a ketone group at carbon 4. Hydroxyl groups sit at positions 5, 7 and 4′, which gives the systematic name 4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone. It dissolves poorly in water, which limits uptake by mouth, and the body rapidly converts it by glucuronidation and sulfation (Kumar 2026).
Free apigenin and glycosides
Plants mostly store apigenin bound to sugars. Parsley is rich in apiin, a glycoside of apigenin (Meyer 2006). Others include apigenin 7-O-glucoside and vitexin, which is apigenin 8-C-glucoside (Kumar 2026).
Food values
| Food (USDA Release 3.2) | Apigenin, mg per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Parsley, dried | 4,503.5 (about 45 mg per gram) |
| Celery seed | 78.65 |
| Oregano, Mexican, dried | 17.71 |
| Peppermint, fresh | 5.39 |
Chamomile, oregano, basil, celery, onions and oranges are also named as dietary sources, with chamomile tea among the richest (Kumar 2026).
Supplement Forms and How to Read a Label
| Form | What it is | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Isolated apigenin | The single compound, stated in milligrams. | Milligrams per serving and the named plant source. |
| Standardized chamomile extract | Whole flower extract with a stated apigenin percentage. | Extract milligrams times the percentage gives apigenin milligrams. |
| Chamomile flowers or tea | Dried flower heads. | Species; apigenin per cup is not standardized. |
| Combination formulas | Apigenin with other ingredients. | Each ingredient listed with its own amount. |
Which chamomile?
Two plants share the name. German chamomile is Matricaria chamomilla, also listed as Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita; Roman chamomile is Chamaemelum nobile, which FDA lists as Anthemis nobilis (Srivastava 2010, 21 CFR 182.10). A good label names the species and the part used.
Absorption in people
After a parsley meal, blood apigenin peaked hours later and varied widely between people (Meyer 2006, in the table below). Apigenin glycosides and free apigenin are absorbed differently, so the form on the label matters (Kumar 2026).
Apigenin and Chamomile in Human Studies
Human work on apigenin covers absorption from food, chamomile extract trials that deliver apigenin inside a whole extract, and one recent trial that dosed 50 mg of apigenin in a combination.
| Study | Who | Amount a day | Length | Measured | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer 2006, Ann Nutr Metab | 11 healthy adults, aged 23 to 41 | One serving of blanched parsley | 28 hours | Apigenin in plasma, red blood cells and urine | Plasma peak about 127 nmol/l at about 7.2 hours; 0.22% of the dose in urine |
| Zick 2011, BMC Complement Altern Med | 34 adults, ages 18 to 65, with primary insomnia of 6 months or more | 270 mg chamomile extract twice daily, or placebo | 28 days | Sleep diaries, daytime function, fatigue, safety | Diary measures similar between groups; sleep onset, night waking and fatigue leaned toward chamomile; adverse events matched placebo |
| Adib-Hajbaghery 2017, Complement Ther Med | 60 adults aged 60 and over at a day care nursing home | 200 mg chamomile extract twice daily, or wheat flour capsules | 28 days, single blind | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index | Sleep quality scores better than the control group after the intervention |
| Hieu 2019, Phytother Res | Pooled analysis of 12 chamomile trials, randomized or quasi-randomized | Varied | Varied | Sleep quality, anxiety scales, safety | Pooled sleep quality scores improved with chamomile; side effects mild |
| Mastrofini 2026, J Int Soc Sports Nutr | 103 healthy, active adults | Evening product with 50 mg apigenin, magnesium L-threonate and 200 mg L-theanine, alone or with a morning product | 2 weeks, placebo controlled | Stress scales, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, wearable sleep data | Clearest changes with the morning product alone; the design does not separate apigenin from its partners |
Studied Amounts by Form
Amounts from research, not directions. No official daily intake has been set for apigenin, so follow your product's label.
| Form or setting | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chamomile extract trials | 400 to 540 mg of extract a day, split into two doses, for 28 days |
| Apigenin in a combination product | 50 mg in the evening for 2 weeks |
| Dried parsley (food) | About 45 mg of apigenin per gram |
| Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder | 50 mg per scoop, one scoop a day |
Safety, Side Effects and Interactions
NCCIH rates chamomile as likely safe in the amounts found in teas and foods, and short-term medicinal use by mouth as possibly safe. Side effects are uncommon and include nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions, which can be severe, including anaphylaxis. Chamomile may also have estrogen-like effects, so NCCIH notes it might worsen estrogen-sensitive conditions such as breast or uterine cancer.
Animal studies used far larger amounts. Mild sedation and muscle relaxation appeared at 100 and 200 mg per kg of body weight, and liver damage at about 100 mg per kg; at high levels apigenin showed genotoxic activity in some test systems (Kumar 2026). For scale, 100 mg per kg is 7,000 mg for a 70 kg adult, 140 times a 50 mg serving.
| Medicine or situation | What is reported |
|---|---|
| Warfarin | Interactions with chamomile have been reported (NCCIH). |
| Drugs processed by the liver | Interactions reported with some of these drugs (NCCIH). |
| Birth control pills | Preliminary studies suggest chamomile might reduce their effect (NCCIH). |
| Sedatives and sleep medicines | A theoretical concern for added effects (NCCIH). |
| Alcohol | Our sleep powder may cause drowsiness; do not combine it with alcohol. |
Who should avoid it or ask first
Avoid chamomile and apigenin products if you are allergic to chamomile, ragweed, daisies, marigolds, chrysanthemums or other plants in that family. Little is known about use in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Ask a clinician first if you take any of the medicines above or have an estrogen-sensitive condition.
Stop and get medical help right away if you notice swelling, hives or trouble breathing after taking a chamomile or apigenin product.
Regulatory Status in the US
Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), a dietary ingredient includes a concentrate, metabolite, constituent or extract of a botanical, which is how apigenin from chamomile flower is sold in supplements. FDA does not approve supplements before they reach the market; the company is responsible for making sure its products are not adulterated. Both German or Hungarian chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and English or Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) appear in 21 CFR 182.10, FDA's list of spices and natural seasonings and flavorings generally recognized as safe for their intended use. That listing covers flavoring use, not concentrated apigenin.
Apigenin FAQ
What kind of compound is apigenin?
A flavone, one of the subgroups of plant flavonoids. Its chemical name is 4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone and its formula is C15H10O5, with a molar mass of about 270 g/mol.
Which foods are highest in apigenin?
In the USDA flavonoid database, dried parsley tops the list at 4,503.5 mg per 100 g. A 2026 review also names chamomile tea as one of the richest dietary sources.
What is apiin?
Apiin is apigenin with sugar units attached, the main form in parsley. In a 2006 study of people eating parsley, a small part of the apigenin reached the blood, peaking about 7 hours after the meal.
How do I work out the apigenin in a standardized chamomile extract?
Multiply the extract amount by the stated apigenin percentage. For example, 500 mg of extract standardized to 1% apigenin supplies 5 mg of apigenin.
What is the difference between German and Roman chamomile?
They are different plants in the daisy family. German chamomile is Matricaria chamomilla (also called Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita). Roman chamomile is Chamaemelum nobile, listed by FDA as Anthemis nobilis.
How much apigenin is in Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder?
50 mg per scoop, from chamomile flower, alongside glycine 3 g, tart cherry, magnesium 200 mg from two forms and myo-inositol, with no added melatonin. It is coming soon; join the waitlist.
More on Apigenin
Ingredient pages
Sources
- Kumar A, et al. Pharmacological potential of apigenin: a dietary flavonoid with emerging synergistic interactions in therapeutics. Exploration of Foods and Foodomics, 2026. DOI 10.37349/eff.2026.1010174
- Meyer H, et al. Bioavailability of apigenin from apiin-rich parsley in humans. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2006. PubMed 16407641
- Zick SM, et al. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011. PubMed 21939549
- Adib-Hajbaghery M, Mousavi SN. The effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people: a clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2017. PubMed 29154054
- Hieu TH, et al. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials. Phytotherapy Research, 2019. PubMed 31006899
- Mastrofini GF, et al. Modulating stress and sleep through a multi-compound dietary supplement: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2026. PubMed 42829807
- Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: a herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports, 2010. DOI 10.3892/mmr.2010.377
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 3.2. 2015. ars.usda.gov
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Chamomile. Updated November 2024. nccih.nih.gov
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 182.10, Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings. ecfr.gov
- US Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. fda.gov
- National Library of Medicine. PubChem Compound Summary: Apigenin, CID 5280443. PubChem
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, allergic to plants in the daisy family, taking medication (especially warfarin, sedatives or birth control pills) or managing a health condition, talk with a qualified healthcare professional before use.